Runoff Races Decide Who's on the November Ballot

Runoff Races Decide Who's on the November Ballot

Polling places open at 7 tomorrow morning and will be open until 7 p.m. for the runoff contests from the May 29 Texas primaries.

Leading the July 31 ballot are the democratic and republican runoff races for U.S. Senate, with the republican contest between Lt. Governor David Dewhurst and former Texas Solicitor General Ted Cruz. Most analysts say that race will determine who replaces current Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison. Locally there are also some races still to be decided for the November general election ballot. In the republican 68th district state representative race now held by Rick Hardcastle of Vernon, Throckmorton rancher and businessman Trent McKnight just missed winning the nomination outright, with 49 percent of the May vote. Drew Springer of Muenster, who is in the livestock industry, came in second. The winner of this race no longer has to face a democrat in November, because that candidate, Bowie attorney Lanhon Odom, was disqualified for voting in the republican primary. In Montague County, incumbent Precinct 1 Commissioner Jon Kernek came in second to challenger Herman Conway in the republican primary and that race will also be decided tomorrow. And over in Throckmorton County, incumbent Sheriff John Riley came in second to challenger Ricky Hodges in a three man race, and will face him in a runoff tomorrow.